Sherman's Travel

Traveling to Britain this winter? Grab a BritRail Low Season Pass and save 20% on regular rates. A three-day consecutive pass (you indicate the three days of travel) is just $159. Or for $239, travel in first class. The BritRail pass services all of the national rail networks of Great Britain (England, Scotland, Wales). With trains traveling up to 160 miles per hour, and running every 15 minutes on the main lines, this pass can get you throughout the three countries quickly, maximizing what you visit during your stay. Passes are also available for four, eight, 15, and 22 days, as well as one month time periods. Flexible passes are also available at an additional cost. Travel now through February 29, 2012.

THE VALUE: Save 20% on a BritRail Pass and travel through three countries on a comprehensive network of train lines.

THE CATCH: The weather is not ideal in January and February.

THE DETAILS: To purchase your ticket, visit www.raileurope.com.

WE’VE GOT MORE: Check out our England, Scotland, and Wales travel guides for more trip planning information. Use our Travel Search price comparison tool to find low rates on flights to Britain.

Those planning to visit London or Paris in the near future can extend their vacation plans to the other iconic destination or Brussels with a new autumn sale from RailEurope Inc. Travelers purchasing a Eurostar standard premier ticket will save 20 percent on their purchase, bringing tickets from London to just $131 and prices from Paris to just $139! Additionally, travelers will also receive a complimentary $20 gift card from Amazon.com. In standard premier class travelers will enjoy spacious reclining seats, extended legroom, complimentary newspapers, a light meal, and refreshments, all while traveling at 186 miles per hour. Tickets must be purchased by November 16, 2011 and travel is valid for six months after the purchase date.

THE VALUE: Save 20% on standard premier class and get a $20 Amazon gift card.

THE CATCH: The sale is only valid between London, Paris, and Brussels.

THE DETAILS: To book your ticket, visit www.raileurope.com.

WE’VE GOT MORE: Use our Travel Search price comparison tool to find low fares on flights to Europe.  Check out our Travel Guides for London, Paris, and Brussels, for more trip planning advice.

Escape the cramped seats and “extra fees” of budget airlines and coast past the Swiss Alps in style on Rail Europe. For a limited time, receive a free round-trip ticket to Paris on the high-speed Lyria with the purchase of a Swiss Pass, which grants unlimited access on the Swiss Travel system (consisting of trains, buses, and boats). World-famous scenic routes like Glacier Express or William Tell Express Plus (voted one of our Top 10 Train Trips in Europe) are also part of this system. The Swiss Pass also includes free admission to over 400 museums, and up to 50 percent off on select mountaintop excursions. Four-day Swiss Passes start at $281 per adult. Book by October 12.

THE VALUE: Round-trip tickets from Zurich to Paris typically cost $150 or more.

THE CATCH: A limited number of tickets are available for this promotion.

THE DETAILS: Purchase the Swiss Pass at www.RailEurope.com. You’ll be asked if you’d like a free ticket to Paris. Say yes, and include your e-mail and phone number to receive the offer and a representative will contact you. Travel to Paris is valid through December 10.

WE’VE GOT MORE: Use our Travel Search price comparison tool to find low rates on flights to Switzerland.

For travel tips to help you plan your vacation, take a look at our Paris and Zurich travel guides.

Those looking to travel to France this year can grab a French Rail Pass Premium through Rail Europe Inc. and save $75! Regularly priced at $325 per person, this deal saves travelers over 20 percent on luxury rail travel. With the pass, rail-riders will have three days of consecutive or non-consecutive (more days available for an additional cost) first-class train travel throughout France as well as personalized concierge service for an entire month. With this unique service, pass holders will be able to make restaurant reservations, prepare personalized shopping excursions, exclusive museum tours, wine and champagne tastings, luggage transfers, and more! The pass must be purchased by July 5 and is limited to the first 300 bookings. Travel is valid within six months of purchase.

THE VALUE: This deal saves over 20 percent on first-class travel and offers travelers personalized service and exclusive savings!

THE CATCH: The prices are per person, based on two or more traveling together.

THE DETAILS: To purchase your pass, visit RailEurope.com. Use promo code PREMIUM75 during check-out on the “delivery” page.

WE’VE GOT MORE: Use our Travel Search price comparison to find low rates on flights to France!

Take a look at our France Travel Guide to start planning your itinerary!

Take the family to picturesque Switzerland and save on travel throughout the country with the Switzerland Family Rail Sale from Rail Europe Inc. and Switzerland Tourism. Travelers can choose the Swiss Pass, which allows two traveling adults and their children (16 and under) to enjoy eight days of consecutive travel for $610 in first class or $408 in second class. Or, those seeking more leniency, can choose the Swiss Saver Flexi Pass, which allows two adults and their children to travel any three days, consecutive or non-consecutive, within one month for $408 in first class or $270 in second class! Also included in this offer is the Swiss family card, which allows children 15 years of age and under to ride for free on trains, buses, and boats throughout Switzerland. Additionally travelers get one free adult ticket and 50 percent off the second for the Mt. Titlis Peak cable-car ride (a $57 value per ticket, kids under 16 ride free) and a Swiss Museum Pass, offering free access to over 400 museums throughout the country! Travel must take place within six months of purchase.

THE VALUE: The passes save each adult 50 percent on rail travel!

THE CATCH: Book by May 5, 2011.

THE DETAILS: To book, visit, www.raileurope.com or www.MySwitzerland.com/rail.

WE’VE GOT MORE: Use our Travel Search price comparison tool to find low rates on flights to Switzerland.

Visit our Switzerland Travel Guide and discover all that awaits you!

In 2011, Megabus is the gift that keeps on giving. Not only does Megabus regularly offer $1 seats on popular routes throughout their Northeast and Midwest network, they are now offering 200,000 free seats this winter! Customers can book the free seats now, which are subject to availability, for travel between January 12 and March 1, 2011, in all Megabus.com’s U.S. cities as well as Toronto. What more can you ask for in the new year?

THE VALUE: These seats are free – only a reservation fee of $0.50 applies!

THE CATCH: Seats on the most popular routes will go fast.

THE DETAILS: To book your free seat, visit www.us.megabus.com and remember to use the promo code WOW200K.

WE’VE GOT MORE: Use our Travel Search price comparison tool to find a great hotel room with all the dough you saved on free travel.

If you’re sold on the idea of free travel but don’t know where to go, scope out our Travel Guide section and see what catches your eye!

On December 15, Megabus will expand its service to and from Washington, D.C., and to celebrate they’re giving away 10,000 seats for free! The free seats are available now with the promo code ILUVDC for use between the nation’s capital and all 10 new routes, which include Boston, Mass.; Buffalo, N.Y.; Charlotte, N.C.; Raleigh/Durham, N.C.; Hampton, Va.; Richmond, Va.; Harrisburg, Pa.; Pittsburgh, Pa.; Knoxville, Tenn.; and Toronto, Canada. These free rides are valid between December 15 and January15, 2011, but are subject to availability on select dates and routes. But even as the free seats are filled, many routes during this period are still selling for as little as $1 each way!

THE VALUE: Competitors rates on many of the same routes can start as high as $66 each way!

THE CATCH: Free seats are not available on the old routes to and from D.C. which include Baltimore, Md.; Philadelphia, Pa.; and New York, N.Y.

THE DETAILS: To book your free seat, visit www.megabus.com.

WE’VE GOT MORE: Use our Travel Search price comparison tool to find the perfect hotel during your vacation.

Read our Washington, D.C. Travel Guide to find out about all the best attractions.

If you’ve rented a car within the last decade without springing for what’s now a daily $12-$15 fee to have a GPS device mounted to your dash, you likely have a better sense of direction than I do. For my dollar, GPS is not a gratuitous add-on – it’s a must-rent, in the same way that toddler and booster seats are essential when I’m renting a car away from home.

But like most renters, by the time you’re done tallying up your basic daily rental charges and insurance costs, you likely have severe fee fatigue. That said, there are few extras you may not use or even know about that you might find are worth the convenience. Read more

The ShermansTravel Deals team hand-picks the special breed of deals that promises free perks ? no strings attached. Book a vacation to Curacao – a Caribbean island famous for tranquil beaches and immaculate dive sites – through www.curacao.com and enjoy a host of freebies. With the Curacao Wow deal, travelers booking a participating hotel for five nights or longer will receive one night free! Free daily breakfast for two is also offered at select hotels for those booking five or more nights. Those renting a car for four days or more will receive a free rental day, and any adventurers booking a six day dive package will receive a free day of diving! Book your trip between now and September 1 for travel between August 15 – December 18, 2010.

Those looking for luxury in New York City can find just that, along with assorted amenities thanks to NYC & Company. The Signature Collection Third Night promotion is just as it sounds: Book two consecutive nights at one of the Signature Collection hotels and receive a third night free! Guests will also receive a VIP package to the Saks Fifth Avenue flagship store which includes a personal shopping experience at the Fifth Avenue Club as well as a complimentary coffee and dessert at café SFA. Book a room now for stays through September 5, 2010.

Vacationers booking a stay at the Sedona Rouge Hotel and Spa in Arizona through www.perfectescapes.com, will receive early check-in, $50 in resort credit, a free room upgrade, and a free one-hour yoga class, all while surrounded by majestic Coconino National Forest. Offer valid through May 7, 2011.

If travelers coming to New York City are foregoing all the airport antics for the classic summer road trip, then the Marriott East Side is the obvious choice. Customers using the promotional code TRS during booking will receive free parking each day of their stay at the Marriott, a value of $55 a day! Offer valid seven days a week through December 31, 2010.

Use our Travel Search comparison tool to find the lowest airfare to any of the above destinations.

Find out everything you need to know using our Travel Guides to Curacao, New York City, and Sedona!

FOUND A FREEBIE? Tell us about it!

“Eco” and “luxury” are terms often incongruous with each other. Going green has traditionally meant skimping on comfort, and enjoying plush amenities has meant turning a cold shoulder to the environment. 

It is, however, 2010 and the two avenues of thinking are starting to come together, with exquisite results.

Read more